104 NATURAL HISTORY. 



for the more delicate hinder pair, and lie horizontally upon the upper surface of the body. From their 

 function, and their being composed of two parts, they are, as lias been said, generally denominated 

 Itemelytra ; the homy basal part is called the corium, and the inner portion of this, bordering the 

 scutellum, and marked off by a more or less distinct suture, is distinguished as the clavus. The thin 

 apical part is the membrane, and generally shows some veins, the number and distribution of which are 

 of importance in the discrimination of groups and species. The ocelli are generally present, and two in 

 number. The antennae, except in the aquatic families, are more or less elongated, and composed 

 of four or five joints. They may be of about equal thickness throughout, or clubbed or reduced to a 

 hair-like fineness at the extremity ; in some instances some of the joints show signs of division, 

 and the antennae then look as if composed of more than five joints. These insects form two tribes, 

 the members of which are respectively terrestrial and aquatic in their mode of life. 



TRIBE GEOCORES, OR LAND BUGS. 



The term " Running Bugs " would, perhaps, better express the habits of the insects of this 

 tribe, as some of them frequent the water and even run briskly over its surface, while the members of 

 the second tribe are essentially swimmers. The distinction of the two groups is, however, exceedingly 

 easy, the Land Bugs having the antennae freely exposed, and generally of moderate length, while in 

 the Water Bugs those organs are of small size and concealed in cavities beneath the eyes. 



FAMILY I. SCUTATA, OR ^SHIELD BUGS. 



The distinctive character referred to in the name of this family is the large size of the scutellum, 

 the apex of which always reaches the base of the membrane (see Fig. A, p. 103), while in many cases the 

 scutellum. is so large as to cover nearly the whole upper surface, concealing the greater part of the 

 hemelytra. The rostrum consists of four joints, and the labrum is long, reaching beyond the first 

 joint of the rostrum, and transversely striated. The antennae are usually of five joints, but sometimes 

 only of three or four, attached to tubercles which are almost always concealed beneath the margins 

 of the head (see Fig. B, p. 103), and there are two ocelli The basal joint of the rostrum lies in 

 a channel of the under side of the head. 



These insects live upon plants, trees, and shrubs, and feed upon the juices which they suck out 

 of the soft tissues, many of them especially attacking juicy fruits. Some species, however, have 

 been detected in the act of varying this diet by imbibing the fluids of caterpillars. The family 

 includes some of the largest of the Bugs, and is particulai-ly well represented in the warmer parts of 

 the globe, where also the most beautifully coloured species are met with. The CaUidece, for example, 

 and the members of several genera nearly allied to them, inhabiting the tropical parts of the eastern 

 hemisphere, are perfect gems when alive, showing the most splendid metallic tints, diversified 

 with black spots. These belong to the section of the family in which the scutellum covers the 

 whole back of the abdomen ; one species (Callidea stollii) appearing dark blue with black spots, is 

 very common in boxes of Chinese insects. But many other forms have during life a very fine 

 metallic colouring which disappears after death. Traces of this may occasionally be seen in a 

 very large species which is also a common inmate of the Chinese boxes (Tesseratoma chinensis\ 

 the specimens of which are usually over an inch long, and of a rather light brown colour with darker 

 legs. The scutellum in this insect is triangular in form, as in the majority of the British and 

 European species, which are not very numerous. One of the best known is the Red-legged Bug 

 (Tropicoris ruftpes), which measures about two-thirds of an inch in length, and has the sides of the 

 prothorax produced into broad, pointed processes, and the tip of the scutellum occupied by a reddish 

 spot, the rest of the surface being of a bronze-brown colour, with numerous large black punctures. A 

 very pretty little native species, which lives on cruciferous plants, and is said sometimes to injure 

 the cultivated varieties, may be called the Colewort Bug (Strachia oleracea). It is of a blue or 

 greenish colour, variegated in the female with red and in the male with white markings. A nearly 

 allied species (S. ornata), bright red with black markings, frequents the flowers of umbelliferous 

 plants. Many exotic species of the same form show similar bright colours. The largest species 

 belong to a special group, of which the Chinese Tesseratoma already referred to is an example. They 

 have the rostrum much shorter than in the rest of the family, and the lateral angles of the prothorax 



